Wednesday, November 21, 2007

Dismal Cursed Ramblings

The weather has been DISMAL, I'm using that as my excuse for not blogging more frequently.

As I mentioned back in October, the leaves all fell early this year and the city has been looking quite bleak. Bits of rain and the odd dusting of snow, mostly overcast skies, it all adds up to a big drag and almost impossible to take a decent picture, inside or out. Of course, it's only a matter of time until the snow falls and stays, but I'm growing impatient for the blinding white of the deep snow. Today there was a bit falling. It was very pretty, like inside a snow globe.

I thought I'd take a moment and try taking a photo or two. Here are some vintage marbles:

I had to make them a little tissue paper nest, as our dining-room has a pronounced slope:

I really should learn more about vintage marbles. Apparently, collectors can tell by looking at a marble, who made it and it what era it comes from, and some of them are quite expensive. Not mine, they're just old.

I have a powerful affection for toys, both modern and vintage. I can't tell you where it comes from. I wasn't denied much as a youngster (compared to others of my era, not compared to kids today - my two have EVERYTHING). Marbles would have to land in the same boat as buttons for me, one needs lots and lots of them, and to turn them over and over admiringly. I love the scene in Amelie, where the title character plunges her hand into a big barrel of grain in pursuit of a simple pleasure. I feel the same way about marbles, and buttons. Wouldn't that be glorious, a big tub of buttons to plunge your hand into and swirl them all around? Oh, joy and rapture!

I have another little item, unrelated to the first. I need to confess that part of our house is haunted. The landing between the first and second floors. It's CURSED.

No matter what plant I buy for this beautiful big bay window that faces east, it dies almost immediately.

I bought this plant just three weeks ago at Shelmerdine's (a very reputable plant shop). Already it's almost finished:

And don't start thinking it's me, we have other plants that have fared well for years:

No, it's not me. It's the cursed landing.

If anyone knows how to get rid of a curse, please let me know, keeping in mind that I've de-cluttered (fairly thoroughly) and have done all the burning of sweetgrass and chanting that I'm capable of.

4 comments:

Hmmm... that bay window would get a *lot* of light. It's probably also drafty and cold in the winter. A random guess from the photo is that plant has root rot. I think that plant also prefers lower light. Is the soil damp? (Wilting with damp soil pretty much means that you've got root rot.) I think I have some extra plants that might do well there, but you'd have to pick them up from me so they don't freeze outside. I might be able to bring one to the next Chapter's night, depending on whether I can borrow the car. Another option is I could trade you a plant for a ride home on Sunday night. ;) (You're going to the party, right?)